233
*
Lake Umbagog.
Whale-back Cove.
1897.
Sept. 7
(No 7)
  While we were watching the Owls various other sights
and sounds attracted my attention at odd moments.
Thus a Deer, unseen but marking its progress distinctly
enough by occasionally cracking a dead branch or "sloshing"
through a muddy pool, walked around the head of
the creek and back out of hearing along the green
ridge. Pickerel were jumping and Frogs splashing in
the shallow water near shore. Just behind us a little
family party of Swamp Sparrows rustled and chirped
in the rank marsh grass and occasionally one of
them uttered the trilling spring song in a low
undertone. Big water beetles (Dytiscus) rose from the
creek and mounted skyward in spiral courses,
rising above the tallest stubs and making off high over
the woods in the direction of the Megalloway. Who
on seeing one of these creatures swimming beneath the
surface of some shallow pool would suspect that
it could achieve such extended aerial flights!
As it got darker three or four Wilson's Snipe rose
in quick succession from the marsh and went
off through the stubs scaiping hoarsely and some
waterfowl, probably a Hooded Merganser, passed over
us its wings making a loud rushing sound.
We also heard an Olive-backed Thrush calling in
the forest, two Winter Wrens trilling in a log heap
neat at hand and a Great Blue Heron hainking
in the direction of the Lake.
[margin]Characteristic
sounds of
the marshes
at evening[/margin]
  It was night when we left the creek and following
along the shore picked up Purdie on our way home.
He had seen two waders on the beach which judging
by his description must have been Baird's Sandpipers.
[margin]Baird's (?)
Sandpipers[/margin]